2016 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb – PPIHC Motorcycle Results

2016 PPIHC Motorcycle Results

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is no joke. The race is set on the public Pikes Peak Highway in Colorado, and contains 156 corners – mostly hairpin and blind – in 12.42 miles.

But this is just part of the challenge; the other is elevation changes. PPIHC begins at 9,390 feet above sea level, and finishes at 14,115 feet at the summit of the mountain, where gas engines lose nearly 30 percent of their power due to the higher altitude.

Before the results, it’s great to report that there were no Pikes Peak International Hill Climb deaths – though there were a few hard crashes. Last year Carl Sorensen died while practicing for the Middleweight class (Ducati 848EVO); he was the fifth rider to perish since the event began, and the third motorcyclist to die at the race since 1982.

Victory’s Don Canet

Earning the overall top time of the 2016 PPIHC was Bruno Langlois. The Frenchman claimed King of the Mountain with a 10:13.106 aboard a Kawasaki Z1000. This is the second overall PPIHC win for Kawasaki; in 2014, Jeremy Toye earned the Heavyweight victory with a 9:58.687 (ZX-10R Ninja). Carlin Dunne still holds the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record time up the Mountain with a 9:52.819 (Ducati Multistrada in the former 1205 Division, 2012).

Canet raced last season aboard the gas-powered Project 156 Victory, built with input from Roland Sands, but had engine issues just before the summit. This year things were much different for the magazine editor, and his speed time of 10:17.813 shows the far advancements of electric motorcycles at races like Pikes Peak and the Isle of Man TT.

“The hair-raising moment of my run came in a fast 100-mph sweeper approaching Upper Gravel Pit, which is well up the course. I slithered across an oil stain at the apex, then again crossing over the double yellow centerline. In a heart-stopping moment I ran out of road and was off on the dirt shoulder at high speed,” Canet says.

“Luck was on my side as I stood the bike upright and coasted along looking for the best spot to cut back onto the stepped pavement edge. The excursion completely killed my drive through the following flat-out right and straight that follows. My hope for a King of the Mountain top time evaporated, however, as the downtime allowed the road to dry prior to the Heavyweight class contenders making their run, there’s almost no way to fully prepare for the track conditions you’ll see in the early morning runs.”

Victory’s Jeremy Toye

As for Toye he finished third overall aboard the Victory Project 156 with a 10:19.777.

Cycle News editor Rennie Scaysbrook, finished fourth overall and second in the Heavyweight class (10:28.407) aboard a KTM 1290 Super Duke R – despite a crash in the third of four sections. Fifth overall went to Canadian Shane Scott, who also competed on a KTM Super Duke R (10:35.953).

Following are the top three in each class during the 2016 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

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